white



2 Sheetsw-'Shee't 1.

(No Model.)

J. H. WHITE. PHONOGRAPH.

Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

l i l lu lm ll Il l llllll llll (No Model.) L v 2 Sheets-*Sheet 2.

J. H. WHITE. PHONOGRAPH.

NU- 467,530. Patented Jan. 26, 1892,

-Washington, District of Columbia, have in- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN Il. VJ-IITE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

P H o N o e RA P H SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,530, dated January 26, 1892. Application filed J une 4, 189.1. Serial No. 395,065. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. WHITE, of

vented a new and useful Improvement in Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of instruments known as phonographs or graphophones, wherein the sound-waves impinge upon and operate a vibratory diaphragm, which in turn operates a style acting to produce a record-groove of variable depth in a wax-like surface, the record thus produced bei-ng in turn used to set in motion a style or other equivalent device actuating a diaphragm, which reproduces the recorded sounds.

My iirst improvement has reference to the connections between the recording-style and the diaphragm, andis intended to secure the production of a more faithfulrecord and a correspondingly accurate reproduction of the sounds free from the usual nasal and metallic tones. In most of the successfulinstruments now in use the lever or style acting at one end on the record-cylinder and connected at the other end with the overlying diaphragm is mounted at its middle on a pivot carried by a gravitating arm or weight, so that the style and its fulcrum' may rise and fall bodily. The sound-waves impinge on the top of the diaphragm, depressingthe same, and thereby lowering the heel end of the underlying style toward the cylinder in the same direction that the gravitating arm tends to carry the fulcrum. The result is that the fulcrum offers a diminishing resistance when loud or violent sounds suddenly depress the diaphragm, so that the style produces a record of less than the proper depth. In order to overcome this defect, I so arrange the parts that the soundnwaves are directed against the inner or under side of the diaphragm and caused to urge the heel end of the style upward in opposition to the depressing influence of the gravitating arm, thus bringing the weight and inertia of the arm effectively into play to insure the cutting of the record by the style to the proper depth, while at the same time the capacity of the parts to yield under excessive strains is retained.

In the drawings I have shown my improvement embodied in the preferred form; but it is evident that the details may be varied,

provided the essential feature-that of having the sound-Waves act to move the heel end of the style in opposition to the tendency of the yielding support-=-is retained.

Another part of my invention consists in combining with the gravitating style-sup porting arm an adjustable counter-weight, to the end that the downward pressure exerted upon the style may be modified as circumstances demand.

Another part of my invention relates, particularly, to those instruments in which a recording-style and a reproducing-style are connected with one diapragm and the parts so arranged as to admit of either style being brought into operative relation tothe record surface at will. Heretofore it has been the custom to arrange the styles in divergent lines and to throwffthem into and out of action by a lateral motion secured by rotating the diaphragm-support. l employ styles in the form of levers and arrange the two styles. end to end-that is to say, in the same vertical plane transverse to the axis of the record-cylinder--and I throw one into and the other out of action -by moving them in said plane either with a sliding or with a rocking movement, thus doing away with the necessity for a lateral adjustment and with the many evils attending the same. K

My invention also includes various minor improvements, which will be hereinafter eX- plained.

For purposes of illustration I have represented the several improvements as embodied in a graphophone of the construction represented in Letters Patent of the United States No. 429,827, issued to me on the 10th day of June, 1890.

With the exception of the improvements herein described and constituting the Subj ect of the present invention the instrument may be constructed in all respects in accordance with said patent.

In t-he accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a vertical cross-section through the instrument with the recording-style in operative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of IOO the diaphragm-frame and attendant parts. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the diaphragm and its supporting-frame on the line 3 3, Figs. l and 2. Fig. It is a bottom plan view of the diaphragm-frame and its adjuncts. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the principal parts with the reproducing-style in operative position. Fig. 6 is a side view of a modification.

Referring to the drawings,A represents the horizontal record-cylinder, having a wax-like surface and mounted to revolve Vin the direction indicated by the arrows.

Bis the diaphragm-supportin g frame, jointed or otherwise attached to the supportingcarriage C, which is arranged to travel slowly under the influence of the operating-screw E alongthe guide D,lying parallel with the record-cylinder, whereby the recording and reproducing styles are caused to traverse the cylinder from one end to the other, as in existing instruments.

The diaphragm-frame B, as shown in the drawings, is connected to the carriage C bya horizontal pivot pin b, extending through horizontal slots b', so that the frame may be turned upward out of action or moved, when in operative position7 forward and backward in a direction at right angles to the axis of the record-cylinder, and" this in order to throw one or the other of the styles into operative relation to the cylinder, as will presently appear. The diaphragm frame is supported and carried wholly by the carriage, so that its weight is not received to any extent upon the cylinder.

The diaphragm F, of sheet metalor other suitable inateriahis confined at its periphery within the frame, so that its central portion may vibrate freely, as usual. The frame is closed on the under side, so as to form a chamber beneath the diaphragm, this chamber being extended at one edge beyond the diaphragm and provided with an opening to re- `ceive the end of the sound-conducting tube K, so that the sound-waves are projected beneath and caused to act on the under side of the diaphragm with a lifting eect, urging the same from the recordcylinder instead of toward the cylinder, as usual.

To the under side of the diaphragm-frame there is connected by a horizontal pivot g a gravitating arm or plate G, the falling motion of which is limited at its free end by the adjustable stop-screw g', seated in the frame. H represents the recording style or lever, mounted midway of its length on a horizontal pivot seated in ears depending from the plate G, one end of the style being turned downward and suitably fashioned to form the record in the surface of the cylinder, while the opposite or heel end is connected with the diaphragm by a thread or wire J. It will be observed that under this arrangement sound-waves directed through.

the heel end of the recording-style Hand force its opposite end more deeply intothe recordsurface, so as to increase the depth of the recordgroove. It is to be particularly noticed that this elevation of the heel end of the style to force its active end downward is in opposition to the downward pressure of the arm G, so that the sudden upward pull on the heel end of the style4 is in opposition to the weight of the arm, the diaphragm tending to move the arm in one direction, while the weight tends to move it in the other. Thus it is thatf am enabled the more effectively to utilize the weight and inertia of the arm to keep the style down properly to its work.

The foregoing parts constitute a complete and operative recording apparatus, and may be used in an instrument having an entirely independent reproducing mechanism or used in connection with reproducing devices such as hereinafter described. It is to be under* stood, however, that so far as the action of the gravitating arm upon the recording-style is concerned it is not in any manner dependi ent upon thev construction or operation of the reproducing devices.

It is to be noticed that under my arrangement the connection .l between the diaphragm and the style is kept under tension. This permits the use of a thread or other iiexible connection, which is found in practice to give better results than a wire or other rigid connection, although the latter may of course be employed.

I represents the reproducing-style in the form ot' a lever pivoted midway of its length to ears in the under side of the gravitating arm, one end being suitably adapted to traverse the recordgroove, while the opposite end is attached to the thread or wire J, leading to the diaphragm, the one connection serving, as will be seen, to operate the two styles. I prefer to joint the heel ends of the two styles together, as represented in Fig. 4, one being forked and carrying a horizontal pivot, which passes through a slot in the end of the other. The two styles are arranged, as will be seen, end to end in line transversely of the cylinder-that is to say, in a vertical plane lying at rightangles to the axis of the cylinder. Under this arrangement the horizontal sliding motion of the diaphragm-frame, before referred to, as allowed by the slots b', serves to carry the end of one style out of contact with the record-cylinder as the other is brought into contact therewith.

When the frame is slid back, as shown in Fig. 1, the record-style is in operative position, and when it is moved forward, as in Fig. 5, the reproducing-style is in operative position. This movement of the frame to throw one or the other of the styles into action may be secured in any suitable manner.

In Figs. 2 and 5, L represents a shifting-le- 'ver pivoted on the carriage C and connected by link Z to a stirrup Z,which engages the two ends of the pivot b, so that by moving the level' IOO IIO

L to and fro the diaphragm-frame is moved back and forth.

Another serviceable construction which avoids the necessity for using the lever and stirrup is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which b3 is a rigid arm extending downward and rearward from the diaphragm-frame,

with an uprising lip at its extremity to engage in notches la* on the under side of the carriage C, 'so as to hold the frame in either its forward or backward position,as demanded, the frame being unlocked by lifting its forward edge so as to throwthe arm h3 out of engagement While the frame is being shifted.

Instead of sliding the frame to and fro to throw the respective stylesinto and out of aotion it may be connected to the carriage, as shown in Fig. 6, by horizontal journals h4, which admit of its being given a rocking motion, as indicated by dotted lines, in order to throw the end of one style downward against the record-cylinder and at the same time carly the end of the other upward out of contact therewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a sound-recording mechanism and in combination with a record-receiving body, a

pivoted style acting on the record-body, a

yielding style-supporting arm tending to move the style toward the record-surface, a diaphragm connected to the style, and means for directing the sound waves or impulses against the diaphragm in such direction that it tends to urge the style toward the record in opposition to the tendency of the yielding arm.

2. In asound-recording mechanism and in combination with a record-receiving surface, the diaphragm, the gravitating arm, the style pivoted to said arm and connected at one end to the diaphragm, and means for directing the sound-waves against the under side of the diaphragm.

3. In a phonograph, the combination of a record-cylinder, a carriage movable in the direction of the length of the cylinder, a diaphragm-supporting frame connected to and sustained by the carriage and having an airconlining chamber beneath the diaphragm, means for directing the sound-waves into said. chamber, and a recording-style connected with the diaphragm. v

4C. In a phonograph and in combination with the diaphragm, the pivoted style connected therewith, the gravitating style-supporting arm, and an adjustable Weight or counterpoise.

5. In a phonograph, the combination of a record-surface, a diaphragm, and a recording and a reproducing style arranged end to lend in the same vertical plane.

6. In a phonograph and in combination with a record surface, a diaphragm supporting frame movable in a vertical plane, and a recording and a reproducing style, both sustained from said frame and arranged to be thrown alternately into and out of action bysaid movement of the frame.

7. In a phonograph, the record-cylinder, in combination with the diaphragm, the recording and reproducing styles connected with the diaphragm, and means for moving said parts in a path transverse to the axis of the cylinder, whereby either style may be thrown into action and the other thrown out of action at will.

8. In a phonograph, the combination,with a diaphragm to actuate the same, of the two pivoted styles jointed together at one end,

substantially as described and shown.

9. In a phonograph, the combination, with the carriage, of the diaphragm-supporting frame connected thereto by a sliding joint, and the lever and link mounted on the carriage for the purpose of adjusting the diaphragm-frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 19th day of May, 1891, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JNO. I-I. WHITE.

Witnesses:

W. R. KENNEDY, P. T. DODGE. 

